Town Square

TONIGHT: Council to examine ideas for meadow

Original post made
on Sep 8, 2009

When the Stevens Creek Trail was extended south of El Camino Real earlier this year, people began dreaming up uses for the large, previously closed-off meadow along the new extension. The City Council will discuss several ideas for it tonight at 6:30.

Posted by Pick Nicker
a resident of Blossom Valley
on Sep 8, 2009 at 2:34 pm

You could combine two of the ideas into one -- the picnic area, and the solar installation, by putting in solar barbeques. It could be a demonstration that would make Mountain View even more famous than it already is. A friend of mine made a solar oven using discarded materials and used it to bake chicken, and it came out very good!

Posted by Common Sense ???
a resident of another community
on Sep 8, 2009 at 2:51 pm

I lived in and loved MtnView for over 45 yrs. Still there in my heart and thoughts.

A Community Garden sounds great... except... it serves very few (% of the citizens). A BMX park could take an acre or so... at a million to build and 100,000 annually to maintain (UGH). How about just a nice green meadow, ala Cuesta Park like.. Low cost, walking area, with Dog Park there. Let the people walk on grass, let kids run free and the strollers stroll. We don't need any more dollar suckers in our city. Just a quite place for that side of town to go, to meditate, to walk and feel the outdoors.

Posted by Jeff Segall
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Sep 8, 2009 at 3:23 pm

"City staff also will be asking the council to consider whether the meadow area should be made accessible by cars and used for parking."

Parking for what? Let's take a nice meadow, admittedly the most bucolic place in town because of the sound of nearby 85 but pleasant nonetheless and...park cars on it? I hope this is not seriously considered.

Posted by USA
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Sep 8, 2009 at 3:36 pmUSA is a registered user.

Matt: "Make it a BMX park! ... Seems like a no brainer." Indeed.

Common Sense: For some reason the city councils in Mtn View and other cities tend to think that they are not doing their jobs if they are not putting up new buildings and passing new rules and regulations. They just cannot seem to understand that often the best course is to just leave things alone. We have little natural space left in Mtn View. It would be best to just leave this land alone. It would cost nothing to build and maintain. It would support native plants and animals. It would still be available to people and dogs.

They are considering using it for parking?!?? Who came up with that lamebrain idea? Except for a few parks Mountain View is already developed with high density housing, big box stores and parking lots. Let's save the little bit of open space that is left. Using part of it for a community garden is fine,

Posted by woodland
a resident of North Whisman
on Sep 8, 2009 at 4:26 pm

Many years ago, back in the late 70's us kids started that "BMX track" area that was flatten near the trail. It was well hidden before the trail was put in. If the city gets involved in building a "legal BMX track/park", it will take forever and we wouldn't want it to turn out (built) like the skate park. So, save the money to improve the skate park instead.

Posted by Matt Raschke
a resident of The Crossings
on Sep 8, 2009 at 10:52 pm

I went to the meeting tonight and made a pitch for the BMX track. Council was strongly in favor of leaving the area as-is (pastoral open space) with maybe some more trees and native plant restoration. That is a good second choice as far as I am concerned.

I think the "Creek Trails" BMX area will be rebuilt by locals before next spring. That is probably the best option for "our" kids. It is unfortunate that it makes them vandals instead of trail builders. In my ideal world, this larger meadow would be set aside for BMX trails so the riders could build and maintain the jumps. The meadow area wouldn't pose any direct erosion threat to the creek. Comments in other threads criticized the close proximity of "Creek Trails" to the stream bank. That will be a real issue if it keeps getting bulldozed and rebuilt. As it was, I don't think erosion was much of a concern. I have a hunch that "Creek Trails" was also much larger before the Stevens Creek Trail was built.

Posted by Darin
a resident of Whisman Station
on Sep 9, 2009 at 12:09 pm

A BMX park would be great! Why not? the kids need some place to go and since they bulldozed their last area I think they should rebuild it here. San Jose has a great skate park that hosts thousands a year, a place to go and stay outta trouble and do something positive as well as build character and a possible future? It seems every city has their own version of a skate park, but where's all the BMX parks? There are none, I think they should finally build one that everyone can be proud of.
We have plenty of open land in Mountain View and surrounding areas, and we don't need a community garden because it really won't be used like everyone thinks. The Stevens Creek Trail is how long? wouldn't you think there is plenty of natural flora and fauna there already? Lets get past ourselves already and start thinking of our kids for a change, build them a BMX track already, they deserve it!

Posted by j. ravanell
a resident of Whisman Station
on Sep 9, 2009 at 2:02 pm

i agree with matt. (sorry i couldn't make it last nite matt) the monies in the budget and there are plenty of volunteers to get it going.i know that many of the kids in the whisman station/park neighborhoods are still reeling from the demise of 'devils island" and many of those kids are vowing to rebuild. lets let them do it in the medow.

I'd need more info about access to comment intelligently but will charge ahead.
We need liability info before city can commit to bmx, sad.
This is next to a freeway [noisy and smelly] but vehicles are moving constant speed [not too much garbage in the air]. Not too good for those exerting themselves in bmx [unless you believe young lungs are designed to filter the air for the rest of us] but perhaps for more sedentary persuits like enjoying varied flora like cherry blossoms, cacti, whatever.
Also, depending on distance from dwellings, how about control-line airplanes or rc all-terrain cars; durn well a noisy area already.
In today's climate, a cactus garden would be appropriate and unique to the area; I'd water it.

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